Michael Shingo Crawford

Michael's musical work divides into several closely tied disciplines. As a composer, his music tackles quirky subject matter with a tinge of the supernatural, often drawing inspiration from his Japanese heritage. Michael’s compositions have been presented by performers including the Network for New Music, PRISM Quartet, Sound Energy Trio, Philadelphia Orchestra Musicians, and the Vega String Quartet. His affinity for collaboration has led him to work with librettists, choreographers, and filmmakers as part of projects that fostered creative dialogue between disciplines and served as breeding grounds for new ideas. Michael holds a Master’s in Music Composition from Temple University. As a violinist, Michael is passionate about recording his compositions and arrangements of anime music, sharing them on his You-tube channel which has reached well over one million views. He merges the worlds of traditional and contemporary classical music with anime music by creating arrangements that utilize the full palette of violin technique. His compositional training inspires unique takes on well-known soundtracks, to which he adds his personal flair. In addition to booking over one hundred events every year through his freelancing business, Michael’s engagements include performances with the Philadelphia Virtuosi as well as the World Congress for Information Technology Orchestra in Yerevan, Armenia. He has performed with ENAensemble and Alter Ego Chamber Opera, both opera companies that bring fresh takes on the operatic medium. He has served as concertmaster of the Emory University Symphony Orchestra and was the winner of its Concerto and Aria Competition with his performance of the Barber Violin Concerto. Over the summers, he has attended the WestBen Performer-Composer Residency, zFestival, Dalí Quartet International Music Festival, Fresh Inc Festival, Eastern Music Festival, and the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute. He teaches violin and piano lessons in his private studio, which has attracted online students from several countries, including Australia and Singapore.